True and False Repentance

Monday 7 March
READ: II Cor. 7:8-11
MORE LESSON: II Cor. 5:17

One of the reasons we have what is generally called fake/false believers in Church today is because of false repentance. A lot of people merely raise their hands in response to altar calls in church or crusade ground, start going to church as regularly as they can and even join church workforce and that is all. We then begin to call them believers until they start showing their true colour; then we say they are false brethren. I think it is an undue honour in the first place to call them brother/sister, because they are never truly saved in the first instance. True repentance involves a change of life, For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death: II Cor. 7:10. True repentance has to do with changing your view of what sin actually is. To a true believer, sin is not a pleasure but an act of disobedience to God which has grave consequences. When this change of opinion produces a corresponding change of feelings, and one’s opinion is that sin is disobedience and not a pleasure, this is true repentance. Paul the apostle called it …godly sorrow…. II Cor. 7:10. To one who truly repents, sin looks very different when compared to him who has not repented.
To a truly repented man, sin does not look desirable or fascinating, it looks odious and detestable. In fact, a truly repented person remembers his old acts of sin with great sadness and sorrow; a false convert will publicly sin but inwardly wonder why and struggles with disobedience. Repentance is first a matter of the heart, hating the nature of sin and then followed by a change. I think where someone professes to be saved and yet argues with Christian character, he has a problem with the foundation. Every truly repented believer must have no problem accepting and obeying God's law of righteousness. Ask yourself, Have I truly repented of my sins or am I just a camouflage Christian? Remember, there is no sinning Christian in Heaven, you are either a sinner or a Christian.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that the marks of a sinner will not be found in your life as a believer.
* Pray that you will be a true example of the life of Jesus here on earth.
* Release the Spirit of Christ-likeness upon your life.
* Check your wardrobe and your heart, whatever makes you look like an Egyptian, remove it today.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
The strength of sin and error is hereby broken over me today by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus’ mighty name.